5 pounds per year

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jul 19, 2007

When I graduated I was a size 10. I stayed that size until I began working nights about 5 years into my career. At night all we did was eat to stay awake. We were constantly bringing in food. Having desert night, taco night, salad bar night, etc.

After 12 years of nights I had gained 100 pounds. I had a hard time sleeping during the day and was too tired to exercise. It was very difficult for me but I worked nights to keep my children out of daycare. Now 32 years into my career I'm still overweight.

I have tried and tried to lose but have been unable until this past April. I went to a weight loss specialist. My last resort prior to gastric banding.

So far I've lost 36 pounds and have not found it difficult. I am taking Phenteramine 1/2 tab per day. I'm not allowed to have white flour, white sugar, rice, pasta, bananas or corn. I can have whole wheat bread and pasta. I have to have substantial protein with each meal. At first I had no calorie restriction, at my last vist a couple of weeks ago I was told I still don't have a calorie restriction but to try to limit my calorie to less than 1500 per day.

I have not weighed myself once. The only time I weigh is once a month at the doctors office. I threw my home scale away before I began.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2007

My weight gain was not that gradual...it piled on rapidly.

Four years ago I was running 5 miles daily and weighed about 115 pounds, which was within normal limits for my 5'1 frame. I was about a size 3. I began attending an LVN program three years ago, and gained 40 pounds in 1 year alone. Since I started working as a nurse, the weight has continued to pile on. Now, I am plus-sized. I have no one else to blame but myself.

Cattitude · Jul 19, 2007

Oh darlin'. I gained 100 lbs! Yep.

But.... I have rid myself of 95 of them. If I can do it, anyone can.

I did NOT want to become diabetic, develop heart disease, or anything else. I wanted to be healthy and feel good about myself. It's all possible.

It's all about healthy eating, portion control, and exercise. You gotta move it to lose it!

Good luck.

caliotter3 · Jul 19, 2007

I've been all over the place with weight. I also found that the food I consumed while working night shift, when subtracted from my daily intake, resulted in a good weight loss by itself. Lots of people who work nights have trouble with weight gain until they realize what they are doing and correct the behaviors.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jul 19, 2007

I have no one else to blame but myself.

Me too.

I knew the first couple of years that I had gained some weight but after that it seemed like overnight I gained 100 lbs all at once. I knew I needed to lose. Although I have no health problems and all labs are wonderful, I knew it was just a matter of time before something would show up. I still couldn't seem to get motivated to lose more than 5-10 pounds before I'd give up.

Someone said something to me that made the difference.

"If you lose now while you're grandchildren are babies they will never remember you as being overweight".

Seems awfully simple but it has worked for me. I'm down from a size 22 to an 18.

prowlingMA · Jul 19, 2007

while in ma school i ate anything i wanted and gained 20lb in that year and have put on 30 more in the last 3 years.

my metabolism completely died and i'm only 25.

:uhoh21:

sharann, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2007

I aslo blame myself. I do have Crohns Disease which required courses of high dose steroids periodically which helped me eat everything not nailed down for months at a time each year. The ironic thing is that when you think of a patient with my problem you think they are emaciated.NOt so for me. I judge myself often and tell myself I am an idiot and need to buck up.

So, excuses aside, I am vowing to be nicer to myself by not overeating, by not working too many extra shifts, and by MAKING myself love exercise.(OK, the loving exercise is a bit far reaching, how about just doing it because it is healthy?)

I already lost 2 pounds this week, so I guess I am off to a good start!

Great going Dutchgirl!

mom and nurse · Jul 19, 2007

Strangely enough, I lost weight while i was a floor nurse. Running between patients trying to alternate on days and evenings and working 40+ hours a week. I ate on the run, and learned to live with stress at work. :smiley_ab

It's when I went back to graduate school and spent so much time on my computer, studying and snacking that my weight went up by about 25 pounds. :typing

miko014 · Jul 19, 2007

I put on about 15 lbs in the 5 years I've been at the hospital, then I decided it was time to do something before I ended up like some of my coworkers (not to be mean, but it's the unfortunate truth!).

Congratulations to all of you who have managed to lose! For those of us who are ready, we have to take care of ourselves now before, like the op said, something bad happens.

When I looked at the foods I was eating, individually, they aren't that bad. What I didn't realize was the amounts that I was eating, because I am, by nature, a grazer. I eat a little here and a little there, until it's time for bed and I realize just how many calories I must have eaten that day. I do exercise fairly regularly (take calsees, etc), but I need to change before I end up having problems!! I'm glad more people are realizing this now, before it's too late and they end up with major problems!!!!!

Be like the monkey -->:monkeydance: !!!!!!!!!!

DEB52 · Jul 19, 2007

Sharann, I know how you feel. We all bring food in and the day becomes very busy and you don't have time to get lunch so we eat the junk. We may have had the best intentions to get a healthy lunch but our patient load made it impossible. So I decided to go back on Weight Watchers. I'm packing the night before small portion things that I can grab in a second. 100 cal. snacks,small servings of cottage cheese with fruit,fresh fruit,sandwiches cut in fours to grab a small part at a time and bring a water bottle with those pour in flavorings. I'm hope that this is going to work during those busy 12 hr shifts.:smilecoffeeIlovecof

EmmaG, RN · Jul 19, 2007

When I graduated I was a size 10. I stayed that size until I began working nights about 5 years into my career. At night all we did was eat to stay awake. We were constantly bringing in food. Having desert night, taco night, salad bar night, etc.
After 12 years of nights I had gained 100 pounds. I had a hard time sleeping during the day and was too tired to exercise. It was very difficult for me but I worked nights to keep my children out of daycare. Now 32 years into my career I'm still overweight.
I have tried and tried to lose but have been unable until this past April. I went to a weight loss specialist. My last resort prior to gastric banding.
So far I've lost 36 pounds and have not found it difficult. I am taking Phenteramine 1/2 tab per day. I'm not allowed to have white flour, white sugar, rice, pasta, bananas or corn. I can have whole wheat bread and pasta. I have to have substantial protein with each meal. At first I had no calorie restriction, at my last vist a couple of weeks ago I was told I still don't have a calorie restriction but to try to limit my calorie to less than 1500 per day.
I have not weighed myself once. The only time I weigh is once a month at the doctors office. I threw my home scale away before I began.

I love that photo :lol2:

According to my doc, it isn't just what or how much we eat working nights, but the shift work itself that messes up our metabolism, aldosterone levels, glucose, lord knows what else. He's always giving me statistics and data he's printed off about the evils of working nights lol.

I suspect he's right... I worked a short time on days, and lost weight even without a change in diet or exercise level. Problem is, I couldn't get enough sleep working days after being on night shift for all those years, so I had to go back to nights. Nights will mess you up but good...